Baked Pasta with Sausages, Tomatoes and Cheese

Pasta plays a big part in our weekly meals and I often love trying out and introducing new pasta dishes to our table. I had some lovely Italian sausages begging to be used in the fridge, so my loyal friend Google went into action to find me the perfect pasta recipe to incorporate those yummy sausages into. I came across this recipe on Myrecipes, where it immediately caught my eye and I knew this was the one! This pasta dish is simple and quick to make but its pure comfort food and just the kind we love. I added a splash of red wine and oregano for that added flavour and let it simmer for longer. If you love your pasta and are looking for an easy quick meal that your family will appreciate then look no further. My son and hubby really enjoyed and loved this dish and so did I. I will definitely be making this again and again!


Baked Pasta with Sausage, Tomato, and Cheese

Ingredients
1 (1-pound) package uncooked ziti (short tube-shaped pasta)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 pound hot turkey Italian sausage links (I used pork Italian Sausages)

1 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 (14.5-ounce) cans petite-diced tomatoes, undrained

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Cooking spray (I used butter)

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fresh mozzarella cheese

1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta, and set aside.
3. (I added 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan.) Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, and tomatoes, and bring to a boil.
4. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes (I simmered my sauce for 25 minutes), stirring occasionally.
5. Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture, and basil. Place half of the pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole coated with cooking spray or butter. Top with half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Repeat layers. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.